The acoustic startle response in inbred Roman high- and low-avoidance rats.
To investigate the emotional reactions of two rat strains selectively bred for good and poor two-way avoidance acquisition (RHA/Verh and RLA/Verh), male animals of both strains were tested in an acoustic startle response test. They received 40 acoustic stimuli followed by 10 electric foot shocks and another 30 acoustic stimuli. RLA/Verh rats showed a significantly higher startle response compared to RHA/Verh animals, indicating a stronger emotional reaction to acoustic stimuli. In addition, the former showed a stronger response to foot shocks. Combined with earlier findings, we conclude that selection for two-way avoidance learning does not result in cognitive defects in the RLA/Verh strain but, rather, in stronger emotional reactions to fearful stimuli.
Schwegler
H
H
Institut für Anatomie, Universität Magdeburg, Germany. Herbert.Schwegler@Medizin.Uni-Magdeburg.de
Pilz
P K
PK
Koch
M
M
Fendt
M
M
Linke
R
R
Driscoll
P
P
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000235:genetics*